*Page 4- (2nd paragraph) “Look,” Mary … said Jonathan.
*This passage is an example of personification because it gives the river humanistic qualities and actions. It makes the river come to life. This passage allows the read to see how important the river was to the McClure family and their journey for new land. Through reading this, we see that the river is like a friend to the McClure’s and plays an important role in their way of life.
*Why do you think the pioneers chose the river as a means of travel rather than traveling by land?
Answer- Because the river proved to be faster and much more safe than the land. It was also more cost worthy because they could set back and the river take them where they wished to go.
*Purpose of passage: to describe the importance of the river
*Page 22- (3rd paragraph) Steubenville, the … the Ohio.
*This passage serves as informative because it tells the read where the McClure’s were headed and about all the newly founded towns that they would learn about along the way. We learn how long it will take the McClure’s to reach Jeffersonville and that much of the territory has not yet been claimed as a state yet.
*Why do you think the McClure’s are headed to Jeffersonville rather than settling at any settlement that they encounter along the way?
Answer- Because Jeffersonville was still very unsettled and land was found there for very cheap. They would have a variety of land to settle rather than be crowded by others.
*Purpose of passage: to inform us if the places the McClure’s would face along the way and tell us of their destination.
*Page 27- (2nd paragraph) From the … same wood.
*This passage is interesting because it shows us that the house built for the McClure’s was constructed out of the same wood from the boat. It also shows us how caring the people were to help them begin their new home on this new land.
*Why do you think the farmers built the new home from the wood of the boat?
Answer- Because they wanted to preserve the land and not destroy the trees that were already there. The wood from the boat would symbolic of their hard work to get to this new place.
Purpose of passage: to tell the reader that the McClure’s succeeded in their journey and have started a new life.
*Page 12- (2nd paragraph) Every bump … calm him.
*This passages points out one of the many problems often faced on the journey down the Ohio River and how the McClure’s handled this mishap.
*Why do you think the horse got so upset when getting stuck on the journey?
Answer- Because horses are not used to be transported by water and they probably had no room to move around for long periods of time on the boats.
*Purpose of passage: to show us that life was not always great and adventurous on the boats, but that I was a hard journey full of trials.